Source: Police tear-gas, bash tobacco farmers – DailyNews Live
Blessings Mashaya 5 May 2017
HARARE – The Tobacco Sales Floors (TSF) premises were turned into a war
zone yesterday as police fought running battles with angry farmers who
staged a demonstration demanding their cash from banks.
Police tears-gased and thrashed the desperate farmers in a mayhem which
left some injured and properties destroyed.
The skirmishes erupted after the police tried to violently block the
farmers who had besieged the banks – located inside TSF complex.
In reaction, the restive farmers started throwing stones and bricks at the
riot police, who in return started firing teargas and beating them with
batons.
The Daily News team which visited the scene heard the police shouting
“munhu wese kumba pano hapashandike (everyone must go home now”.
Frustrated farmers who spoke to the Daily News confirmed that they had
battled over the past month to access their money from both banking halls
and automated teller machines (ATMs).
This has seen many of them sleeping out in the open on empty stomachs, as
they waited to access their money.
“Hurumende yedu haichadi vanhu yakutirwisa Smith aiva nani (The government
is now fighting us. The Smith regime was better).
“We have spent more than two weeks here and we are getting $100 from
banks,” a farmer who refused to be named said.
Another old-aged woman, who preferred anonymity, showed the Daily News
receipts of her tobacco sold on March 22 for $5 000 but she was yet to get
her money.
“I come from Karoi. I am getting $100 daily but the problem is that there
are people who helped us they are also demanding their money and this
situation is destroying agriculture,” she said.
Recently, tobacco farmers disrupted auctions, after the Tobacco Industry
and Marketing Board sanctioned a Zimra directive to withhold 10 percent
tax on their gross tobacco sales.
The government was later forced to reverse the decision following a
meeting between Agriculture minister Joseph Made and his Finance
counterpart Patrick Chinamasa, after the farmers threatened to withhold
their produce in protest.
This comes as Zimbabwe’s economy continues to die – as manifested by
rising poverty levels, worsening job losses and severe cash shortages –
with the government showing signs of panic, amid fresh warnings by experts
that the country is headed for an economic disaster akin to the meltdown
of 2008.
It also comes as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has set the maximum limit
for cash back facilities by retailers and wholesalers at $20, as
authorities desperately try to mitigate the country’s worsening cash
crisis which is forcing long-suffering Zimbabweans to spend hours at banks
queuing for their money.
COMMENTS
Chickens coming home to roost. How many of those farmers bought the farms they are growing tobacco on?
Beneficiaries of the ‘3rd tshimurenga’ shld be forever be beholden to zpf and never try to be clever toms or they risk losing their pieces of land to more deserving, appreciative ,loyal and patriotic cadres… Partyloyalty first then money next… And they can’t be seen to b fighting for th imperial US$
Blah blah…Indoctrinated bull…blah blah..
You twat.???
Cornelious, how would you like it if you toiled for the whole year in producing a tobacco crop. You need to pay off loans and prepare for the next season. You sell your crop and are not given the money. If you go to the shops give money to buy bread, not given bread and then told to be “patriotic” and just go away praising the shop owner. How ridiculous is that. The Govt need to be “patriotic” and respect the people who bring money into the coffers!!!
This is the manifestation of Gone-econimics, Chinamasamanomics and Scoonsieconomics – perhaps the tobacco farmers need to ask World Economist Scoonsie why the British may not want to be the people to pick up the tab for Greek or Italian excesses? So now these tobacco farmers will pick up the tab for their Economist Masters who so kindly gave them “free farms!” – Tata Ma millions Tata ma farms? It is the policy of the Master – Mugabeconomist being administered by his Top Mujibas?
you destroyed agriculture when you violently stole, beat and murdered your way into being farmers. So you now have what you want so stop crying about it. This is why no one would ever help you. You who threatened someone because of their colour and junped on the band wagon to benefit from someone elses work. Enjoy the fruits of your labour
” Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. Galatians 6:7
Read all about it in the Good Book.
Black Zimbabweans are children when it comes to the basic realization that there is no ‘free lunch’. You need a functioning government and competent civil service to run a nation. Just growing tobacco is not enough. The world does not owe you a living for doing that: you still need someone to turn that crop into money in your hand. Trouble is, because you voted for self interest, not wider community interest, you chased away those who would do what is needed to turn your crop into real money in your hand, not just figures on a piece of worthless paper. No sympathy here: you can all starve in your selfishness, stupidity and hubris.